


The Stranger in the Woods

by TheSopherfly



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Developing Relationship, Healers, Injury, M/M, Mages, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, WinterIron Spring Fling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-06 04:04:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19054873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSopherfly/pseuds/TheSopherfly
Summary: “Mage shouldn’t be walkin’ in these woods alone at night,” James said.Mage. So James knew, then. About Tony’s powers. Tony breathed deeply, the warm ghost of steam rising from his mug and tickling his nostrils. “Why’s that?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He’d felt something in the forest, of course, but forests were always full of creatures and strange energies. Too many trees in one place scrambled his senses almost as well as a confusion charm.“There are things in here that like mages a little too much,” James said, and Tony hung on the words in fascination. “Plenty of things that don’t like mages, too.”





	The Stranger in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JenJo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenJo/gifts).



> This story is a gift for [JenJo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenJo/pseuds/JenJo) as part of the WinterIron Spring Fling. It is based on the short prompt "Fantasy AU" but also contains some elements of setup for another of JenJo's wonderful plot prompts. Hope you enjoy it!

 

_Evening_

Tony emerged slowly from the dark haze of sleep, confusion clouding his mind, pain shooting like lightning through his veins.

His muscles ached. He felt battered and bruised, and it was hard to move, hard to keep his eyes open. Still, he forced himself to peer around, trying to figure out where in the Realm he’d ended up. None of this was familiar. The fire in the corner. The soft cotton sheets. The various bottles - potions? - strung up near the ceiling. Where was he? And how had he gotten here?

The fall. It flooded back to him, vivid in his mind’s eye. He heard the terrifying growls of whatever beast he’d run from; felt the snap of the root giving way; saw the world spin as he tumbled backward over the ledge. He hadn’t been able to brace in time, hadn’t had the foresight to conjure some sort of spell that would have cushioned him when he landed. There had been the rustle of leaves and a sickening crack, and then the stars had winked out of sight, the world disappearing into oblivion.

Somehow, though, he wasn’t dead. He was inside a… what? A cabin, from what he could tell. Not that he could see much with the edges of his vision blurred and pain splitting his head in two.

He heard the footsteps before he saw the man. Tall. Dark hair. Broad shoulders. Simple tunic with an apron tied at the front. Not wanting the man to see him awake, Tony closed his eyes, reining in his breath and feigning sleep. Movement in the corner of the room. The man approached him slowly, the soft steps barely making a sound. The smell of sage burned Tony’s nostrils. He kept his eyes closed, swallowing when the man put a hand on either side of his head. A light flashed, warm and dizzying, and then Tony drowned in waves of darkness.

~

_Morning_

When Tony woke again, the pain in his head had vanished.

It was daylight now; warm rays of sun kissed Tony’s cheeks, and a tea kettle sat whistling on the fire. A man - the man from last night - crossed toward it, entirely unaware of Tony as he picked up the kettle and set it back on the table.

Tony sat up in bed and cleared his throat. “Ahem.”

The man turned, but didn’t look surprised. “You’re awake.”

“Yeah,” Tony said lamely, noticing for the first time how handsome this stranger was. Those were the most striking blue eyes Tony had ever seen. “Um.” A symphony of questions came to mind, and he couldn’t decide which one to ask. How did I get here? Why am I alive? What did you do to me last night? After a moment, he settled on, “How did you find me?”

The man didn’t answer. He turned away, pouring the hot water carefully into the two mugs set out on the table. Taking a mug in each hand, he held one out to Tony. “Here. Drink this.”

Tony took the mug, then eyed it skeptically. “This isn’t poisoned, is it?”

The man gave him a serious look. “Why would I save you just to poison you?”

Fair point. Tony considered the mug, then smelled its contents. Peppermint. Maybe a few other herbs. Harmless. That didn’t stop him from pursuing the argument. “You want me to drink this when I don’t even know who you are?”

The man stared at him for a moment, entirely unreadable, then sat in the chair opposite the bed, eyes never leaving Tony’s face. “James,” he said, lifting his own mug to his lips. “James Barnes.”

Tony had been hoping for more than a name, but a name was better than nothing at all. He inclined his head in imitation of a formal greeting. “Hello, James Barnes. I’m…” He hesitated. Most everyone called him Tony. But if they were using proper first names… “Anthony. Anthony Stark.”

“Pleased to meet you, Anthony Stark.”

Oh, it sounded better in James’s mouth than it ever had. Tony _liked_ James, he decided. Not that he had anything to go off of besides that confounding serious expression and those bright blue eyes, but he’d made more important decisions with less at his disposal. “Pleased to meet you, too,” he said, meaning every word.

They sat in silence for a moment, James drinking his tea, Tony staring into his mug and watching the movement of the tea leaves.

“Mage shouldn’t be walkin’ in these woods alone at night,” James said.

_Mage_. So James knew, then. About Tony’s powers. Tony breathed deeply, the warm ghost of steam rising from his mug and tickling his nostrils. “Why’s that?” he asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He’d felt something in the forest, of course, but forests were always full of creatures and strange energies. Too many trees in one place scrambled his senses almost as well as a confusion charm.

“There are things in here that like mages a little too much,” James said, and Tony hung on the words in fascination. “Plenty of things that _don’t_ like mages, too.”

“Like what?” He tried not to sound too eager, though he wasn’t sure he succeeded. “Werewolves? Shapeshifters? Faeries?”

James raised an eyebrow. “Maybe.” A scowl from Tony. “I ain’t sayin’ no. Haven’t seen all those myself, but I’ve seen the traces. They’re in these woods somewhere. Most of ’em stay far away from here.”

“Is that why you sprinkled sage in the fire? To keep all those things away?”

James drew back, looking surprised. “Didn’t think you were awake for that.”

“I was. Barely.” A memory flashed before his eyes. James at the head of the bed. Hands on Tony’s temples. Bright blue light, and a feeling of warmth washing over him as he drifted painlessly to sleep. “You’re a healer, aren’t you?” he said, not sure how he hadn’t realized sooner. That light from last night - James had been _healing_ him. “That’s how you knew I was a mage.”

James met his eyes briefly, then looked away. “Yeah.”

A healer. How long had it been since Tony had encountered a healer? He thought of Yinsen, the healer who had saved him so many years ago. He hadn’t met a lone healer since then. He and his traveling party - the one he was supposed to meet up with in three days’ time - were beginning to believe the rumors of healers being hunted and killed. And now, Tony had stumbled upon a healer in an unfamiliar forest, entirely by accident. Was it luck? Or had their respective magic drawn them together?

Tony took a small sip of tea, humming his contentment at the taste. “This is good.” A few minutes more and he had drained the liquid from his mug. He looked into the bottom, trying to see a pattern where the leaves remained. Nothing. Evidently, reading tea leaves would never be his particular skill. “Thank you, by the way,” Tony said, remembering that he hadn’t actually thanked James for saving his life. “For not just leaving me to die.”

James smiled gently, a welcome departure from that stern, focused expression. “You’re welcome.”

Again, Tony’s curiosity got the better of him. “Why did you do it?”

“Seemed like the right thing to do,” James said easily. “All life is precious, only healer who won’t tell you that has turned bad. But you especially - you felt like a person worth saving.”

Tony decided not to press further. He understood that healers had different kinds of senses than mages did. Maybe James had sensed something important in Tony. Something that made him worthy. “So,” Tony said, changing the subject. “What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve seen out there?”

“Will’-o-the-wisps,” James said.

Tony frowned. “The fairy lights?”

“Dunno if I’d call ’em fairies.” James set his mug down on the table, running a hand over the small growth of stubble along his jaw. “They lead people the wrong way. Trick them into thinkin’ it’s the right path, but it never is. They get people lost. In every sense of the word.”

“Have they ever gotten you lost?” Tony asked, though he was sure he already knew what the answer would be.

“Yes.” James looked briefly pensive, and he turned toward the window where the branches and leaves from the trees outside tapped on the glass. “Got separated from my traveling partner - my best friend. Never saw him again.”

“That’s awful,” Tony said softly. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright. Made myself a life. Ain’t the life I planned, but I’m sure I’m not the first person to say that.” He gave something of a smile and stood, and Tony could tell that they’d reached the close of that conversation. “You feelin’ well enough to stand?”

“I think so,” Tony said, one hand still gripping the mug as he slipped out of bed and stood up slowly. There was no pain. No lightheadedness. For a man who had seriously injured his head the night before, he felt surprisingly energetic.

“Anything hurt?”

“Nothing,” Tony replied.

“You’ll have a scar,” James said, taking the mug from Tony’s hand and turning him gently around. “Here on your head.” He touched a spot near the base of Tony’s neck. “And another one on your back.” This time it was James’s palm indicating the place.

Tony shivered at the touch, finding that he somehow desired more. “That’s okay,” he said, his voice thin and nearly trembling. “I’ve got plenty of scars. I can handle a few more.”

The warmth from James’s hand disappeared, and Tony turned around, noticing for the first time that his pack was tucked under the table. He tilted his head, surprised. “You saved my pack.”

“Saved all your things. Your socks and coat are outside on a clothesline. Boots are outside by the door. You may want a new tunic - that one’s got a fair bit of blood on the back. I can give you one of mine.” Before Tony could protest, James had crossed the room and was rustling through a wooden chest. He pulled out a new tunic and handed it over. “Might be a little big, but it should do the job.”

Tony tugged off his own tunic and set it on the bed, not entirely unaware of James’s gaze as he reached for the clean tunic and slipped it on. Had James been looking at his scars? Or had there been something appreciative, however small, in that stare?

“Thank you,” Tony said, at once wishing he could see that strange expression again and pretending not to have seen it at all. “I’m in your debt.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “I do, though.”

“How about this. Stay the night. Let me make sure you’re fully healed. Then I’ll consider the debt paid.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Tony couldn’t stop himself from saying. Not because he wanted to leave - quite the contrary. For some reason, he desperately wanted to stay. But spending another night in James’s cabin couldn’t possibly be enough to repay James for saving his life.

“Those are my terms,” James said, looking as if he’d already won the argument.

Tony sighed in defeat. “Alright. If those are your terms, then I agree.”

“Good. Now, since you seem to be feelin’ a little better, any interest in helpin’ me pick some berries? Got a fresh crop out back.”

Berries. Tony’s mouth practically watered at the thought. He hadn’t had berries in years. Besides which, he wanted to get to know this stranger - the one whose eyes made him thrill and whose touch made him tremble - a little better. “Absolutely,” Tony said, following James out the door and into the backyard.

~

_The Next Morning_  

Tony slung his pack over his shoulder, staring back at the cabin that had been his temporary home. He was sure that his strong desire to stay had nothing to do with the cabin or the forest and everything to do with James. Still, it took effort to make his feet move forward even as James walked him down the hill toward the footpath.

James had played the true healer the night before, examining Tony from top to bottom, making sure there were no remaining bruises or pain points, no injuries he hadn’t cared for. Tony had stood perfectly still, cooperative and calm. Still, he hadn’t been able to suppress a shiver when James’s hands had touched his skin. He was sure James had noticed. There was something between them, something that crackled like electricity and attracted like magic. Neither of them had mentioned it - but James had slept much closer to Tony, the bedroll at the foot of Tony’s bed, and despite Tony’s racing thoughts, James’s deep, even breaths had eventually lulled him to sleep.

“Don’t go fallin’ off any more cliffs,” James said as they arrived at the bottom of the hill, smiling through the fake admonishment.

Tony shook his head. “Once is enough for me, thanks.”

The footpath curved through a thinner wood, one where the sun was visible through the trees and the ground was green with moss. Tony pressed one foot into the springy sponge.

“Well.” James stopped, his smile faltering. “Safe travels, Anthony Stark.” James held out his hand, and Tony took it, the grip tight and warm. Another shiver passed down Tony’s spine. It couldn’t be just their magic, he decided. There was something more drawing them together, something he didn’t understand. It was a feeling he wasn’t willing to ignore.

“Or,” Tony said, not releasing James’s hand. “There’s a group of us getting together about a day’s walk from here. We’re - well. We help people. And I think you’d be a great addition.”

James frowned, gripping Tony’s hand tighter. The humor had disappeared from his face, and he held Tony’s gaze with vulnerable eyes. “You askin’ because I’m a healer, or because you want my company?”

“I want your company,” Tony replied, more bravely truthful than he’d expected. Slowly, gently, he released James’s hand, their fingers brushing briefly. “Come with me. You’re - I _like_ you. And you’d be really good at helping people.”

James considered him for a long time, long enough that Tony believed he might say no. Then, slowly, he nodded. “Alright. I’ll come with you.”

Tony’s face flushed with elation, and he had to hold himself back, barely resisting the urge to plant a grateful, excited kiss on James’s lips. “Really?” he asked, breathless with disbelief.

“Really,” James said, a pleased smile parting his lips. “Just gotta go back to the cabin and pack.”

“I can help you with that,” Tony replied, boldly taking James’s hand and practically dragging him back up the hill. James didn’t object, laughing a little as they retraced their steps back the way they’d come.

~

 

**Author's Note:**

> The world of this story is something similar to D&D, though there aren't many details about it as this is meant to focus on Tony and Bucky and how they meet.
> 
> I've set this up so I have the opportunity to potentially continue the story - the group Tony is meeting up with is the Avengers, and Bucky will be added to the "party" when they arrive at their destination. The friend Bucky lost track of was Steve, and there's the potential that they meet again when Bucky and Tony rejoin the party.
> 
> If you liked this story and want to see more, please let me know your thoughts in the comments or shoot me a message on [tumblr](https://sopherfly.tumblr.com/). :)


End file.
